1
as in timid
easily frightened
a shy cat who hid under the bed every time she heard any loud noise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in withdrawn
not comfortable around people
a shy person who finds talking to anyone but a close friend to be an awkward and unpleasant experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
the team is shy a couple of players because of illness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in notorious
not respectable
she was nervous about being left alone in a shy bar in a bad section of town
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
a shy person
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of shy
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2025
The Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund has increased its exposure to private credit, a form of non-bank lending, as traditional institutions shy away from the riskier, higher-cost financing.
—semafor.com, 23 July 2025
Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
Don’t be shy about knocking on doors and talking to farmers.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Adjective
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham has not shied away from speaking her mind this season, but this time, the WNBA is hitting her wallet for it.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 23 July 2025
The Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund has increased its exposure to private credit, a form of non-bank lending, as traditional institutions shy away from the riskier, higher-cost financing.
—semafor.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
With more than 62,000 upvotes and thousands of comments, Redditors weren't shy about sharing their reaction in the comments.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
Don’t be shy about knocking on doors and talking to farmers.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for shy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shy
Adjective
-
This has made the White Sox timid to deal the outfielder.—
Hunter Mulholland,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025
-
Bangladesh needs a new economic plan and the interim government may be too timid to pursue it.—
Vasuki Shastry,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
-
Set in Taiwan in 1988, the intergenerational drama revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 July 2025
-
Everyone reacts differently to a cancer diagnosis: some men may want to talk openly, others may become quiet or withdrawn.—
Alex Apatoff,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
This being the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's landmark shark horror film, much of the convention was devoted to celebrating Jaws' milestone — for better or for worse — in the representation of the notorious marine mammals.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
-
Pilgrimages to battlefields, ancient ruins, or notorious prisons have existed for centuries.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
With four hands and 610 pounds locked on his chest, Allen did not flinch, holding the point of attack and freeing edge rusher Nik Bonitto to get around Garett Bolles.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Perched nonchalantly on a nearby roof, Terry seems to relish every moment of the tense encounter, staring right back without flinching.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
The next morning, Onley was bashful at hearing that praise.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
-
There are dozens of people screaming his name and the young Ronaldo appears bashful and shy.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
Designed as federal programs to assist the elderly, disabled individuals and those with low income, both have grown into the largest sources of health care coverage in the country.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 July 2025
-
But both companies could use a boost as consumer demand for indulgent food has been trending lower for some time.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
The car circled the infamous race track in under 6:50 minutes, breaking the previous record by nearly three seconds.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
1 Aug. 2025
-
But if that wasn't enough, the monologue within this newer ad is also a nod to an infamous Calvin Klein campaign from 1980 that starred a then-15-year-old Brooke Shields.—
Manuela López Restrepo,
NPR,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Their margins have shrunk as competition and the share of money in low-cost index funds have grown.—
Hank Tucker,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
-
As the level of uncertainty goes down, the ellipse shrinks.—
Toshi Hirabayashi,
Space.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shy. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share